Thursday, July 24, 2014

A Groom for Christmas by Cara Marsi with Giveaway, Excerpt & Review

A Groom for Christmas

Cara Marsi

When a young woman hires
her hometown's former bad boy to be her pretend fiance for the holidays, she
finds she can't wrap up her feelings as easily as a Christmas gift. New York
jewelry designer Graceann Palmer has two days to find a fiance to bring home to
Pennsylvania for the holidays so her matchmaking mama will quit fixing her up
with jerks. The Falcon, a motorcycle-riding, leather-clad former high school
crush, helped her out once before.

Maybe he'll do it again.
Jake Falco, man of many mysteries, is back in town on a mission-one the people
of Spirit Lake most likely won't appreciate. When Graceann presents him with
her crazy scheme, it gives him something he's always wanted-a chance to get to
know Graceann. It also gives him the perfect opportunity to add fuel to his
project of revenge. But as Jake and Graceann grow closer, their
engagement-of-convenience begins to feel like the real deal-until Jake's
secrets are revealed.

Can a relationship that
began with lies and secrets bloom like a rare Christmas rose into
happily-ever-after?

Purchase Links

Excerpt

“I have
two days to find a fiancé.” Ignoring the anxiety that tightened her stomach,
Graceann Palmer dipped her fork into her apple pie à la mode and slipped the
tasty treat into her mouth.

Her
friend Kate sat next to her at the counter in the quaint fifties-era Spirit
Lake Diner, located just outside the small Pennsylvania town of the same name.
Kate grinned. “You could advertise online: Fiancé wanted forChristmas.
Good pay. Temporary position.”

“Like I’d
get a real upstanding guy that way,” Graceann said.

Kate shot
her a sympathetic smile. “Face it. You’ll have to tell your family you lied.”

Bing
Crosby’s I’ll Be Home for Christmas flowed from the jukebox,
mocking Graceann. Her lie had caught up with her. She would come home for
Christmas, minus a made-up fiancé.

Graceann
finished her pie and pushed the plate away. “Tell my family the truth and have
my mom try to fix me up with someone like the dentist she invited to spend the
holidays with us last year? Boring, conceited, and he couldn’t keep his hands
to himself. Yuck.”

The door
opened, bringing in a fresh round of cold, snowy late December air. Shivering,
Graceann drew her sweater closer around her.

“I
wouldn’t mind finding that under my Christmas tree,” Kate
said.

Graceann
followed her friend’s gaze to the tall man who’d just entered the diner.
Dressed all in black—black motorcycle boots, black jeans, black leather
jacket—and walking with the lithe grace of a panther, he took a seat at the
other end of the counter. She studied him while he studied the menu. He had
classic “bad boy” written all over his features—sharp cheekbones, dark stubble
on a square jaw, and midnight black hair tied into a ponytail. Long, tapered
fingers held the menu.

Suddenly,
he looked up. Clear blue eyes connected with hers. Recognition spiked through
her and sent her pulse jumping like a kid on Christmas morning.

“The
Falcon,” she whispered.

“What?”
Kate gasped. “You’re right. It is The Falcon.”

His full
lips tilted in a slow, sexy grin, showing even white teeth. He nodded at them
before turning his attention to the waitress. After he gave his order, he
didn’t look in their direction again.

Kate
gripped Graceann’s arm, her fingers digging into Graceann’s flesh beneath the
heavy sweater. “Wow. The Falcon. I heard he left town the day after his
graduation from Spirit Lake High fourteen years ago and hasn’t been heard from
since.”

“Wonder
what he’s doing back here,” Graceann said. In school, she’d had a crush on The
Falcon even though he was two years ahead of her. She’d never told anyone, not
even Kate.

“He’s a
little scruffy,” Kate said.

“Scruffy,
my tush. He’s hot.”

Kate
grabbed her arm again as Graceann lifted her coffee mug. Coffee sloshed over
the sides onto the counter. Setting the mug down, Graceann gave her friend an
exasperated look. “What?”

“I have
it,” Kate said. “Your fiancé.”

“What are
you talking about?”

“You’re
crazy. I haven’t seen him in fourteen years. He could be a serial killer for
all we know.”

Kate
shook her head. “He’s not. We would have heard.” She leaned closer. “You’ll be
at your grandmother’s with the whole family. You’ll be safe. Your grandmother
is old-fashioned. She’ll put you in separate rooms. It’s not like he’s a total
stranger. Bring him to meet the family, pretend you’re wildly in love. Your mom
will quit trying to fix you up. After the holidays you won’t ever have to see
him again. Once you’re back in New York, you can tell your family you broke the
engagement. That’s what you planned to do with Zach.”

Graceann
put a hand up. “This is the craziest idea you’ve ever had, and you’ve had
plenty. I can’t ask this guy to go along with my scheme. I’ll have to resign
myself to fending off another loser my mom pushes at me. She means well, but
she won’t accept that I’m not interested in marriage. After what Michael did,
my whole family feels sorry for me. I don’t want or need their pity.”

“Michael
was a jerk. He didn’t deserve you. Listen to me, Graceann. Ask. The. Falcon.
What could it hurt to at least ask?”

“His name
is Jake, and I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t
wait too long. He’ll be out of here and you’ll have missed your chance.”

Graceann
sipped her coffee and stole glances at Jake Falco. Maybe Kate was right. Jake
had always been nice to her and had even come to her aid once when the mean
girls were harassing her. He might help her out now. At her grandmother’s,
they’d be surrounded by family. She wouldn’t be alone with him. Her gut
feelings were usually on target, so she’d learned to listen.

She’d ignored her
instincts with Michael and look how that had turned out. Something was telling
her to go ahead and take a chance on Jake.

“I’ll do
it.” She stood before she lost her nerve.

My Review: 4 1/2 stars

This was a really sweet book. I read it in practically one sitting. It just went by so fast, that's when you know you got sucked into a book! I liked the idea behind Graceann and Jake's fake engagement. I really don't know why, but some parents just don't now when to stop interfering and let their kids be grownups. Jake and Graceann had a natural, easy way between them and their chemistry was great. It's not easy for Graceann to lie to her family, but when the lie starts blending with the truth, that's just when everything falls apart. I loved that Jake came back for Graceann, and that he realized how he felt and what he wanted. Now he just has to get Graceann to forgive him for not telling her the truth and see if she feels the same. Cara did a great job with this book and I think it was really sweet, and I loved the characters and they way they played off of each other. I'm looking forward to reading more from Cara in the future.

About Cara Marsi

Cara
Marsi, an award-winning author and self-proclaimed TV junkie, is a former
corporate drone and cubicle dweller. Freed of her fabric-covered cage, she can
now indulge her love of all things romance. She craves books with happy endings
and loves to write about independent heroines and the strong heroes who love
them. And she loves to put her characters in dangerous situations or situations
merely dangerous to their hearts and watch them fight for the happy endings
they deserve.

An eclectic author, Cara is published in romantic suspense, paranormal romance,
and contemporary romance. She’s also published numerous short romance stories
in national women’s magazines and online. When not traveling or dreaming of
traveling, Cara and her husband live on the East Coast in a house ruled by
their fat black diva of a cat named Killer.